Beck and Call

A little later, a man walked up to the room and slid the door open without announcing his presence. His robes were made of subtly glittering silk dyed silver, and golden lines snaked around his wrists and waist. He wore an expensive-looking black top hat. From the slight shine, she could tell it was made of horse tail hair. All this was typical for a noble of his stature, but the way he carried himself with his back straight and his nose high was a little exaggerated even for a noble. He stroked his long, half-grey beard and looked down at them with pursed lips as if he had something he wanted to say. It was comical for a man shorter than Jun, but she understood his intent regardless.

She rose along with the rest of her unit and bowed. "We appreciate your cooperation, Count Beck."

"You'd better be thankful. I got up early in the morning for this. I'm doing it for the sake of Mr. Yang. I hope you can bring this matter to a close satisfactorily." The Count took a seat opposite them, and they sat after him.

"What was your relationship with Mr. Yang like?" Jun asked.

"We're on good terms. He's served me faithfully for fifteen years. He's a talented man, and though he has some vices, he's never caused me any trouble because of them." Count Beck's bushy eyebrows remained unnaturally still. There was a calm confidence in his voice that was unexpected of someone who had lost a loyal servant, especially one that was caring for his ill son.

"Any conflicts with him? Especially recently?"

"Of course not. Do your jobs properly instead of speaking of baseless slander." Count Beck's voice was hurried this time, but he wouldn't talk, and she had no means of forcing a noble to talk. She did now have a suspicious point to investigate later.

"Then do you have any idea who might hold a grudge against Mr. Yang?" Jun asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised if one of the servants had been jealous that he kept his cushy position and respect. The rebellion in 1894 made every uneducated lowborn think they were the equals of even nobles. They must have been shocked and bitter to see that just because slavery was abolished didn't mean they were suddenly equals. Whether they were upset enough to kidnap Mr. Yang, I can't say."

Despite the arrogance in his words, he spoke the truth. Many had thought the abolition in 1895 was going to open up a bright new future for slaves and butchers, and they had been overoptimistic. Of course, the inconvenient part that Count Beck had left out was that the nobles had been upset over the abolition itself, and with the weakening of official class privileges along with the abolition, Mr. Yang's status wasn't as far from Count Beck's as it had been. That could have spurred resentment on Count Beck's part, and while that was merely Jun's speculation, she strongly wanted to believe it.

"What about outside this manor?" Jun asked.

Count Beck stroked his beard. "He's been acting strangely lately. Skittish whenever he came back from his escapades at night. I don't concern myself with the smaller matters of what happens downtown, but judging from his behavior, he may have incurred someone's wrath."

A man kneeled outside the drawing room and spoke through the sliding door. "My lord, the new doctor is here."

Count Beck stood up. "I have other matters to attend to now. My son is ill, so you understand."

He slid open the door and walked away with Teman.

"I'll send the madam of the house to you shortly," Teman said.

A tranquil morning chill settled in the room as the door had been left open.

"I don't like that guy," Desun said.

"Can't imagine many do," Eugene agreed.

"Something's not right about the Count though," Shimol said.

"For starters, how did the new doctor already arrive? He couldn't have known Mr. Yang was about to disappear, unless…," Jun thought out loud.

"Are you thinking he had some conflict with Mr. Yang?" Shimol asked.

"Undoubtedly. He was quick to change the topic. Whether he did so merely so he wouldn't be suspected or because he was guilty, we won't know until we gather more evidence."

A woman in a white long sleeve, silk shirt and a pink dress walked from the hall and stopped at the open door. She looked middle-aged, and her hair was tied back in a bun. Despite a few wrinkles on her wide face, her short pruned lips and heavy gaze gave her an air of determination though she didn't feel as outwardly arrogant as Count Beck. Everyone in the room rose and bowed. The madam nodded and took a seat, then everyone followed.

"I am Countess Beck. Mr. Yang's disappearance comes as a shock to me just like all of us, and I'd be happy to cooperate however I can."

The Countess at least paid lip service to helping, but unlike the Count, whose excessive pride and pettiness was on display, Jun couldn't read her. "Where were you around the time the incident occurred?"

"I was in my room along with my son. His fever has gotten worse, so I've been watching over him. I heard a scream, and when I peeked outside, a servant was rushing over. I waited in my room just in case it was unsafe. Teman came by and informed me what had happened."

"Where was your husband at this time?"

"Presumably in his study as he usually is, but I was in my own room so I cannot confirm that." Countess Beck was choosing her words carefully, a fact which irritated Jun. These types were the hardest to deal with.

"Did you have any conflicts with Mr. Yang?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said. Any disagreements or troubles between either you or your husband and the doctor?"

"Everything was amicable. Mr. Yang studied Western medicine and has been giving good treatment to my boy Jemin. Yesterday night was supposed to be the worst of his fever."

Something was off about what she had said, but Jun couldn't put her finger on it yet. "How old is your son?"

"Five years old."

Then he was too young to be a reliable witness, especially as someone delirious from a fever. Five years old though… He war born during the war with Solradia in 1895, an interesting time to have a child. "Do you have any other children?"

"Not anymore. They all passed away too early." Countess Beck's expression didn't change as she said that.

"Do you have any idea who might hold a grudge against Mr. Yang?"

"It's hard to say. Maybe someone from outside? I've heard he spends his nights downtown."

"What about your husband? Did he have any disagreements with the doctor?"

"They always talk in private without me so I can't tell you either way. They were on good terms from what I could see at least," Countess Beck said.

She had plenty of excuses to deflect as a noblewoman, and she had no openings to challenge yet. It was time to gather some evidence outside. "Thank you for your cooperation. This concludes the interviews. We will come back if we have any further questions."

Countess Beck stood and quietly walked out. Looking back at them, she said, "I hope you find the culprit."

After she left, everyone stood and stretched their tired legs.

"That lady… We might as well have been talking to a rock," Desun said.

"If only we could subpoena her. The judge would never approve something like that for a noble though, especially since we have no evidence," Eugene said.

Shimol shook his head. "Even a subpoena wouldn't help with types like her. She worded everything carefully enough to avoid perjury in court even if something she said turned out to not be true." He looked at Jun. "You're being awfully quiet."

"A lot of things are bugging me about her. It's true she didn't say much, but what she did say left me with some questions."

"Such as?" Shimol asked.

"Why did she say that she hoped we would find the culprit? It's not known whether Mr. Yang is dead. Wouldn't you normally say that you hope we find Mr. Yang in that case? It's almost as though she slipped and privately doesn't want him to be found."